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B&B Evolution in Cuba

There’s a saying about Cubans “o no llegan o se pasan” reflecting their tendency to either fall completely short or go way overboard, challenged with finding the exact Goldilocks measure of “just right” in many aspects of their daily lives and behaviour. The decor of the very lovely b&b we recently used, situated in a privileged location in Cienfuegos, is a perfect illustration. We made a last minute decision to travel and, as it was low season, we decided to try our luck and see what we could find on arrival. If you ask me, it would have been absolutely perfect if the owner just took away a few of the things that for me seem to clutter and detract from the natural beauty of her home. She charged us $40 CUC/night (excluding breakfast) and in our experience the room was just average by Cuban standards. Typically rooms in that area go for $25 CUC/night. It did have a split air conditioner, hot water and blow dryer, but other than that it was nothing extraordinary. Many b&b’s in Cuba offer those conveniences these days for similar or lower rates in low season. She claims that she recently discovered that one of the new powerhouse hotel booking engines operating in Cuba is selling the very same room for $103 USD per night. She expressed indignation at those rates, incredulous that the re-seller would earn more than she does as an operator, but I told her that’s the cost of dealing with the new US hotel marketing machines and the multiple layers they use to sell services in Cuba.

#1 mistake alot of Cuban B&B owners make when decorating their guestrooms: satin.
This went out in the 70’s, but noone has told Cuban casa particular owners that yet, and they continue to buy yards and yards of the tacky material and have local seamstresses whip up custom-made combinations of bedspreads & matching pillowcases to adorn their rooms. I wish designers in Cuba would start a campaign to get rid of them. I’d honestly rather simple white cotton sheets if that’s all to be found. It’s not, of course, but they don’t have HGTV in Cuba, so maybe it’s just that these operators need some exposure to good & modern design trends. En masse.
#2 mistake: too much clutter. Stick to the basics and invest in quality, not quantity. Drown those creepy gnomes and trash the ceramic dwarfs and toadstools unless your name is Snow White and you’re catering to preschoolers. I really don’t want to see a one-eyed pot-bellied thing leering up at me from a fake waterfall with a knowing grin when I pull back the curtains to gaze at the ocean outside my room.

#3 mistake: investing in fancy before the basics. Fix the roof tiles and paint that last flower pot out front even if they belong to a part of the building that’s not under your ownership. The facade is the face of your business. If you have an air conditioner that may spit out the occasional drop of water (or worse), then don’t install it right over the bed. We ended up getting blasted by Tropical Depression Alberto and would have greatly appreciated a simple $5-$10 doorsweep rather than all the fancy plaster ceiling ornaments in our room. We awoke in the middle of the night to a room that had flooded from water coming in under the door, a/c dripping on our heads, and leaky roof that had soaked my leather purse from its resting spot on a ledge leaning against the wall. The casa owner was very friendly, and volunteered all kinds of information we didn’t ask for, including the fact that she has Spanish residence, and the coveted 5-year US visa. But after a sleepless night when I suggested that she consider picking up some simple weather stripping or a rubber door sweep on her next trip to Miami , rather than assimilate the constructive criticism, she dismissed it.

Don’t get me wrong. The place is lovely and the owner goes out of her way to make you feel welcome. There are just times I wish I could just come out and be blunt with some of the operators we come across and tell them that less is more, to identify and look after the basics first and then know where to stop to find that perfect balance. Without offending their sensibilities.